The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-07-07
BOB BEN'S BONANZA,
Something Better Than Silver Gold,
Lead, Diamonds or Copper.

Lead, Diamonds or Copper.
The great need in this country is water.
eff / had water, u some one is heard fire.
quently to say, 81 could make million.
The artesian web craze is on and in many
localities parties are boring thousands of
feet in the hope of striking something that
will pay better than gold
Bob Ben is a settler here who does not
say much, but who keeps his eyes open
the greater part of the time. He is not
unduly ambitious, and get he aspires to
wealth, and it looks now as though he had
reached the highway leading thereto. Up
in the SOcorro mountains is an old mine
shaft, abandoned long ago. Bob Ben
knew about it, as every other old timer
did. He has been in the habit of visiting
it occasionally, as most of his acquaint-
ances have also. "You can't help snOop-
ing around an old mine," a veteran pros
pector said the other day. ''You may
know that somebody has cleaned up the
last ounce of ore, or that there never was
any there, but you're bound to feel as
though there might be some that had
been overlooked" This was the spirit
that actuated Bob Ben when he paid his
visits to the old Robinson shaft in the
SocOrrO range.
~ lew Ody0 uHC pSOpl0 III uulS 1CSlOli
were surprised TO hear that Bob had 10
cated'' the shaft and 100 acres of land
lying all around it. When he was asked
concerning the rumor he admitted the
truth, but would give no explanation of
his intentions.
''What have you struck?' he was asked.
sob, nothing much, u he would say.
"Silver?''
"Better nor that" h sz.f
'EGold?'' q; 80 ts:ss1n4si
''Better yet.'' ,-,'EsJjy@;s 81 q IS ss:s.llSss lSss
"Lead, by thunder"
'ENO; not lead. -
''Weu, then, diamonds and copper?"
''No; you can't guess" Bob would say
as he walked off. The next day the old
fellow had a cabin up, and announced his
| intention of living on his claim and going
| into the fruit and vegetable line. Every
| body said he was crank, and one friend
sent doctor out to see him, thinking he
might be touched. To this professional
| gentleman Bob told his story:
| ''YOu see, mister, this here shaft has
| had water in it for years. Everybody
| knew that as well as l did. At first
used to cuss the water like the other fel
| lows did, because wanted to go down the
/ shaft and see if any metal had sprouteG
| there since the crowd left. After while
| it occurred to me that the water might
come from somewhere, and that, as the
country would be rich if it could gel
water, perhaps I'd better look into the
| thing a little. / found at one time thai
the shaft had $50 feet of water in it, ant
that at another it had only 100 feet TheI
again it had $50 feet. The very bottom
of the shaft is higher than the countr!
around about. So, thinks l, if l can tun
mel through to the bottom of that shaf
I'll strike water bonanza, and | did
I've got it plugged here. I've let the
water out once or twice and it has fillet
up again. All that this here land need
is plenty of water, and it will be as goot
as any in the country. I'm going to farm
for living, and some day, if the waite
don't give out on me, III sell this plac
for more than mine on the Comstocl
would bring"
The doctor and others who have visite(
the place since agree that Bob Ben has
bonanza, and it is now matter of won
der that nobody ever thought of thi
scheme before.-SOcorro lN. NJ Cor. Ney
| York Sun.